Folate blood test range?

[Colb53]

Could anyone tell me what a good folate level is in blood test results? I know it needs to be >3 but don’t know what the range is to understand how low 3.3 is (my result).

From my earlier post, I’ve been put on folic acid to bring my levels up but am feeling awful and don’t know if this is because my B12 injection is due or from the folic acid I’m taking (for last 10 days). I’m exhausted and having to sleep for a few hours during the day and generally feeling unwell. Have pain in fingers and little bit of feeling of crawling under skin in one foot

Thank you x

[Hidden]

My consultant advised me to get it into double figures but keep it under 20 so right now I’ve gone from 2.5 to just over 10 and if I find my levels fall too low I notice I start to get my sore cut tongue back again so I try and Increase by upping my greens ie peas broccoli even the dreaded salad stuff lol hope this helps you.x

[Colb53 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Thrones. Yes I have a burning mouth so trying to get rid of that! How long did it take you to get from 2.5 to 10 out of interest?

[Hidden in reply to Colb53]

Not long Colb53 I usually leave 3 months between blood tests then get them rechecked so it would have been in that time frame but I was supplementing plus increased my dietary greens,right now I’m working on my husbands levels too he was 1.5 so he’s due bloods again soon to monitor.

[Colb53 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks again Thrones 😊 I’m on 5mg a day so hopefully will feel the benefit soon. I am really hoping after my B12 injection on Monday (coupled with the folic acid) , I will turn into superwoman! 😄

[wedgewood in reply to Colb53]

Please don’t take 5mg of folate acid for long .

[Colb53 in reply to wedgewood]

Thanks wedgewood. He’s given me 2 months at 5mg and said if I feel better he’ll just put it on repeat without checking levels. I am going to try to speak to another doctor to get my levels checked and then ask for a maintenance dose going forward.

[Nackapan in reply to Colb53]

Dont forget when the levels are up you will need a maintenance dose. As well as greens. 200-400 mcg folic acid .

[Gambit62 Administrator]

what were the units used for the test - there are two sets of units that get used and the ranges are very different.

there are also two different ways of measuring B12 and two different sets of ranges but in that case the difference is much less.

[Colb53 in reply to Gambit62]

Hi Gambit, I don’t know but was told by the doctor that the result was ok if more than 3 but because mine was only just over (at 3.3) so he would prescribe Folic Acid to bring my levels up. I’m to report back after a month.

[fbirder]

Unlike B12 folate moves in and out of the body quite rapidly, That's why some places say that a folate blood test should be a fasting sample, in case your fortified Cornflakes skew the results.

So it shouldn't take long at all for the levels to get back up again. No more than a few days.

I think doctors prescribe 5000 mcg tablets for one or three months because they come in packets of 28, 30, 90 or 1000.

[Colb53 in reply to fbirder]

Thanks fbirder, do you think that 10 days at 5mg is making me feel unwell or is it likely to be because my b12 injection is due?

[fbirder in reply to Colb53]

It might be the folate. Only one way to find out. Buy a supermarket folic acid (400 mcg) and take that instead.

[Colb53 in reply to fbirder]

Thank you fbirder. I have had a massive amount of stress lately (redundancy) so not sure if I’m just needing my B12 more than ever as I’ve never felt this bad. But obviously the only other change is in taking the folic acid.

[Hidden in reply to Colb53]

I did exactly as fbirder suggested about a month or 6 weeks ago(Thank you again) I changed from methylfolate to a cheaper supermarket folic acid and it’s been so much better for me,I dont think I was doing very well at all on the other one.I agree you prob need to increase your injections If your under stress,I’m doing a half hearted house move just now and the stress of it can be overwhelming sometimes and today I sat on the toilet in the new house and got out all my b12 paraphernalia and did my shot ,I was a good 4 days late with it and I just knew I wasn’t doing good it’s like any stress just wipes out my b12.Xx